Can opener and sealing closure



March 27, 1951 M. o. POLSON CAN OPENER AND SEALING CLOSURE VP T m z a m Filed April 11, 1947 Patented Mar. 27, 195i UNITED STATES CAN OPENER AND SEALllNG CLOSURE Miles 0. ioiscn, Flagstafi', Ariz.

Application April 11, 1947, Serial No. 740,925

(Cl. 3(l6.1)

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a can opener, particularly of the type adapted to punch spaced openings in the end of a can of juice, milk, or other fluid product, and in particular, includes a device having two spaced prongs adapted to be forced into the end at opposite sides of a can wherein, after forming the openings, the prongs provide means for sealing the openings, and the device also includes a sealing gasket and means clamping the gasket against the end of the can.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a combination can opener, wherein elements thereof may be used to form fluid-removing openings in an end of a can, and then used as means for sealing the openings, and in which other elements thereof may be used as means for sealing the end of the can.

Numerous types of fluid products are provided in tin cans, and after opening the cans the pro ucts remain therein, only email amounts being used once in a while. In some products, such as canned milk, a him of milk remaining around an opening where it is exposed to the atmosphere is dehydrated to such an extent that it often closes the opening. In other cases where cans remain in the open, the contents are exposed to flies and other insects, and for some products it is desirable to completely seal the can protecting the product therein from the atmosphere. With these thoughts in mind, this invention contemplates a can-opening device by which spaced openings are formed in an end of a can and the openlugs and the end of the can are sealed by the device.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide an improved can opener that not only provides openings in the end of a can, but also seals the openings when not in use and furthermore provides a complete cover and closure for the end of the can.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can opener and sealer having operating in strumentalities associated therewith wherein the device maybe clamped on the end of a can and also readily released therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved can opener and sealing closure which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects in view, the invention embodies a disc with downwardly extending arcuate sides adapted to fit snugly around the sides of a can, a sealing gasket on the under side of the disc, prongs extending from the disc through the gasket, outwardly extending gripping arms positioned to grip the outer surface of the can, and means actuating the gripping arms to locking and releasing positions. 7

Other features and advantages or the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view showing a side elevation of an end of a tin can with the can opener and sealer positioned thereon.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device as illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view showing a side elevation of the device, looking from a point at right angles from that of Figure 1, and having a part broken away showing the construction of the parts.

Figure 4 is a plan view looking upward toward the under side of the actuating disc with the gripping jaws and other parts omitted, taken on line 5-4 of Figure 3. a

Figure 5 is a View showing a side elevation similar to that shown in Figure 3, illustrating a modification, wherein spring clips are used at the sides instead of the arcuate, downwardly extending flanges.

Figure 6 is a cross-section through the can opener illustrated in Figure 5 showing the spring clips at the sides.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference. characters indicate corresponding parts, the new and novel can opener of this invention includes a disc Iii, a smaller disc H pivotally mounted on and positioned above the disc It, and outwardly extending gripping jaws i2 and I3 pivotally mounted on the disc it by pins l4 and H5.

The disc I9 is substantially the same diameter as the periphery of a cam upon which the device may be used, and, in the design illustrated in Figures 1 2, t'-e disc is provided with downwardly extending arcuate flanges it and H which fit snugly against the outer surface of the can, as shown in Figure 1. Extending downwardly from the under surface of the disc it are two oppositely positioned prongs I8 and it which are adapted to penetrate an end 2%) of a can 2!, as illustrated in Figure 6. In positioning the can opener on the end of a can, the flanges i5 and H are placed over the can and by pressing downward with the palm of the hand, or by striking the end of the device lightly with the fist, the prongs i8 and is are forced through the end of the can providing openings therein. A gasket or sealing disc 22 that may be made of rubber or other resilient material i nested against the under surface of the disc Iii, as

shown in Figure 3, wherein with the can opener positioned on the end of a can, the gasket provides sealing means completely closing the can.

The upper disc ii is pivotally mounted on a centrally disposed pin 23 extending upward from the disc iii, and this disc is provided with outwardly extending upwardly flared arms 21; and 25 by which it may be rotated about the pin 23 to lock the jaws i2 and i3 against the can, or release the from the can. The disc ii is provided with a cam 2'5 positioned in line with the projections 23 and 25 and located between the inner ends of the jaws i2 and i3. With the jaws E2 and i pivotally mounted on the pins id and 15, the cam 28 is between the inner ends of the jaws, and as the disc Ii is rotated in a clockwise direction, as illustrated in Figure 2, the cam will be moved to the dotted line position 2?, thereby spreading the inner ends of the jaws l2 and i3 and forcing the outer ends 28 and 29 against the surface of the can. With the ends 28 and 29 positioned below a bead SE? at the end of the can, as illustrated in Figure l, the jaws will draw the disc ii"! with the gasket 22 against the end of the can, thereby sealing the entire end of the can. To release the device from the can, the disc l i is rotated in the opposite or counterclockwise direction, wherein projections 3| and 32 on the under surface of the disc engage inner edges of the jaws l2 and I3 and force the jaws outward away from the surface of the can.

In the design shown in Figures 5 and 6, the can opener and sealer is formed with a disc 33 similar to the disc Ii], and the edges of the disc are provided with downwardly extending gripping prongs or spring fingers 3t and 35, which resiliently position the device on the end of a can. In this design the disc H with its associated parts and gripping jaws i2 and i3 are similar to corresponding parts in Figures 1 and 2, and, therefore, the same reference numerals are used for both. With the parts arranged in this manner, the can opener and closure of this invention may be provided in different sizes corresponding with cans upon which it may be used, and when it is desired to open a can to remove juice or other fluids therefrom, the device may be pressed against the end of the can, as hereinbeiore described, wherein the prongs I8 and i9 will form openings in the can. The device may then be removed so that the entire content may be poured from the can, or only a small amount of the product may be removed, and then the device may be replaced with the prongs i3 and i9 filling the openings providing sealing means therefor. When it is desired to further seal the end of the can, the disc l I may be rotated in a clockwise direction, wherein the cam 25 will force the inner ends of the jaws l2 and E 3 outward and thereby force the outer ends inward in gripping relation with the can, and with the jaws l2 and 53 positioned to engage the under surface of the bead Bil, inward movement thereof will draw the gasket or sealing disc 22: downward against the end of the can, thereby sealing the entire end thereof,

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A perforating and sealing closure for tin cans comprising a substantially flat disc for arrangement adjacent to one end of th can, a resilient sealing gasket secured to the bottom or the disc and engaging the end of the can between such end and disc, perforating means secured to the disc for puncturing the end of the can when the sealing gasket is pressed into engagement with the end, a plate rotatably mounted upon the disc and arranged in spaced superposed relation with respect to the disc, a pair of gripping arms pivotally connected with the disc and disposed between the top of the disc and rotatable plate, said arms including outer depending extensions which project radially beyond the side of the can and are adapted to engage such side, and a cam secured to the bottom of the rotatable plate and arranged between the arms for engaging the arms to swing the depending extensions into engagement with the side of the can when the rotatable plate is turned.

2. A perforating and sealing closure for a tin can comprising a substantially ilat rigid disc arranged adjacent to the end of the can to be perforated, a resilient sealing gasket secured to the bottom of the disc and engaging the end of the can for sealing it, spaced prongs secured to the disc and projecting inwardly of the gasket for perforating the end of the can when the closure is applied to the can, a plate rotatably mounted upon the disc and disposed in spaced superposed relation with respect to the disc, a pair of substantially fiat elongated gripping arms disposed between the top or" the disc and rotatable plate and pivotally connected with the disc between their inner and outer ends, the arms being freely swingable over the disc and including outer substantially U-shaped depending extensions adapted to engage the side of the can below the end thereof, and an elongated cam secured to the rotatable plat for movement therewith and arranged between the plate and disc and between the inner ends of the arms, the cam engaging the inner ends of the arms for spreading them apart and swinging the depending U-shaped extensions into engagement with the side of the can when the rotatable plate is turned.

MILES O. POLSON.

REFEBENGES @I'TED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,190,4T2 Schulze July 1-1, 1916 1,433,515 Berthold Oct. 24,1922 1,460,418 Johnson July 3, 1923 1,887,592 Goodiellow Nov. 15, 1932 1,927,258 Dailey Sept. 19, 1933 1,952,840 Claus et a1 Mar. 2'7, 192% 1,986,143 Glab Jan. 1;, 1935 2,018,485 Clark Oct. 22,1935 2,049,373 Hampe July 28, 1935 2,062,182 Kubitz Nov. 24, 1-936 

